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89-522: Bellas Artes replaced the original National Theater , built in the late 19th century. The latter was demolished as part of urban redesign in Mexico City, and a more opulent building was planned to celebrate the centennial of the Mexican War of Independence in 1910. The initial design and construction was undertaken by Italian architect Adamo Boari in 1904, but complications arising from the soft subsoil and

178-417: A 'mama's boy' as many believe. Self-employed, fight like being independent. He has his own career, his audience, his poster and assumes his responsibilities without relying on me." The unexpected death of Enrique from a heart attack in 1996 affected Félix greatly. There are conflicting rumors that, in between her marriages to Enrique Álvarez and Agustín Lara, Félix had a brief marriage to Raúl Prado, member of

267-512: A brief romance with Cau. From the end of 1950 to the spring of 1954, Félix also had a passionate same-sex affair with Suzanne Baulé, better-known as Frede , who at the time ran the cabaret Le Carroll's on Rue de Ponthieu in Paris, and the two women lived together at the Hotel George-V. The relationship was captured in a painting made by Fini of a plant with two flowers; one had the face of Félix and

356-558: A close relationship with her brother Pablo. Her mother separated the two siblings, thinking they might be involved in an incestuous relationship. For that reason, Pablo was sent to the Colegio Militar, in Mexico City. Later, the Félix family moved to Guadalajara . When María was 17, her beauty soon began to attract attention. She was crowned Beauty Queen at the University of Guadalajara. It

445-488: A deep depression. To overcome this depression, she developed a new passion: horses. Some of her horses won major international equestrian awards. Félix kept horses for 11 years. Her last romantic relationship was the Russian-French painter Antoine Tzapoff, who was 31 years her junior. About him, Félix said: I don't know if he's the man who has most loved me, but he's who has loved me better. The press speculated about

534-473: A divorcée. Because of this situation, Félix decided to move to Mexico City with her son. In Mexico City, she worked as a receptionist in a plastic surgeon's office, and lived in a guest house. One day, the father of her son visited the child, and deliberately refused to give the boy back to his mother. Álvarez took the child to Guadalajara. Félix's son was recovered with the help of Agustín Lara , her second husband. They planned an elaborate recovery that tricked

623-702: A great dramatic intensity. Under the direction of Emilio Fernández , María Félix made three successful films: Enamorada (1946), Río Escondido (1947), and Maclovia (1948). The relationship between Félix and Fernández was cordial and smooth, despite the strong and famous temperament of the film director. In Enamorada , María Félix found her perfect film partner, the actor Pedro Armendáriz . The films of María Félix with Fernández and his team (writer Mauricio Magdaleno, photographer Gabriel Figueroa , and Armendáriz) had strong presence in several international film festivals. In turn, they gave María Félix her first Ariel Award for Enamorada and Río Escondido . Between

712-564: A hat collection "El Fénix" inspired by and intended to honor Félix. In 2023, Museo Jumex in Mexico City displayed iconic jewelry pieces worn by Maria Félix in the exhibition “Cartier Design: A Living Legacy” that featured more than 160 pieces and was designed by renowned Mexican architect Frida Escobedo and curated by the Mexican art critic Ana Elena Mallet . María Félix died in her sleep on 8 April 2002, her 88th birthday in Mexico City . She

801-568: A hospital in Los Angeles, United States, while Félix was in Europe shooting La Belle Otero . Félix's appearance at his funeral, dressed in trousers, caused a huge scandal, which led her to take refuge in Europe. Her fourth marriage (1956–1974), was with the Romanian-born French banker Alexander Berger. Félix met Berger in the 1940s, when they were both married. Years later they met again. Félix

890-632: A member of the Los Calaveras trio. After a quick courtship they got married and shortly after they divorced. This is one of the most carefully protected chapters of the star's life. María's friends keep claiming that it was crazy." Prado's obituary in the Spanish newspaper El País in April 1989 reported the marriage as factual, as did some obituaries of Félix's, such as the one in Argentine newspaper La Nación ,

979-418: A military officer and politician who was of distant Yaqui descent, and Josefina Güereña Rosas, who grew up in the U.S. state of California; both were of Mexican ancestry. She had fifteen siblings: Josefina, María de la Paz, Pablo, Bernardo, Miguel, María de las Mercedes, Fernando, Victoria Eugenia, Ricardo, Benjamín and Ana María del Sacramento. She spent her childhood in Álamos. During her childhood, she had

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1068-698: A number of appearances by Luciano Pavarotti . In 1987, Bellas Artes hosted a legendary performance of Jesusa Rodríguez 's Donna Giovanni , an adaptation of Mozart's opera with a female cast. Other appearances have been made by Mexican baritone Jorge Lagunes (2002) and Catalan guitarist Joan Manuel Serrat (2003). Events that have been held here include "ABCDF Palabras de Ciudad" (2002) showing life in popular housing in photographs and video, "Bordados del Mexico Antiguo" (Embroidery of Old Mexico) showing processes, history and design, Rem Koolhaas Premio Pritzker 2000" conference and "Exchanging Views: Visions of Latin America" which

1157-466: A strong rivalry between Félix and Dolores del Río , the other leading female figure of Mexican cinema and a successful Hollywood star. Regarding this "rivalry", Félix said: "With Dolores I had no rivalry. On the contrary, we were friends and always treated each other with great respect, each with our own personality. We were completely different. She was refined, interesting, gentle on the deal, and I'm energetic, arrogant and bossy." During her life, Félix

1246-494: A trial in which Félix wanted to take back jewellery she had given to Frede and accused her of theft. Félix lost her lawsuit, and Frede was acquitted and kept the jewellery. Félix retained ownership of the painting Fini made of the two women, and after the break-up persuaded Fini to modify it to erase Frede's face, changing it to hers, resulting in the painting's two flowers both having Felix's face. In 1953, when Félix returned to Mexico after her stay in Europe and Argentina, she

1335-594: Is best known for its murals by González Camarena , Diego Rivera , Siqueiros and others, as well as the many exhibitions and theatrical performances it hosts, including the Ballet Folklórico de México . The oldest known structure on the site was the Convent of Santa Isabel, whose church was built in 1680. However, significant Mexica finds, such as a sacrificial altar in the shape of a plumed snake have been found here. The convent area suffered frequent drought during

1424-433: Is divided into four sections called "Arquitectura-contrastes: Jaime Ortiz Monasterio y Carlos Mijares Bracho", "Corpus Urbanístico de la Ciudad de México", "Teatro Nacional de México (Plano original)" and "Teatro Nacional de México." There are also temporary exhibits on contemporary architecture. Gran Teatro Nacional (Mexico) The Great National Theatre of Mexico was a large opera house in Mexico City. The theatre

1513-558: Is responsible for the Palacio del Correo which is across the street. Adamo Boari promised in October 1904 to build a grand metallic structure, which at that time only existed in the United States, but not to this size. The first stone of the building was placed by Porfirio Díaz in 1904. Despite the 1910 deadline, by 1913, the building was hardly begun with only a basic shell. One reason for this

1602-556: Is that the project became more complicated than anticipated as the heavy building sank into the soft spongy subsoil. The other reason was the political and economic instability that would lead to the Mexican Revolution. Full hostilities suspended construction of the palace completely and Adamo Boari returned to Italy. The project would sit unfinished for about twenty years. In 1932, construction resumed under Mexican architect Federico Mariscal  [ es ] . Mariscal completed

1691-511: Is the stage "curtain" which is a stained glass foldable panel created out of nearly a million pieces of iridescent colored glass by Tiffany's in New York. This stage curtain is the only one of its type in any opera house in the world and weighs 24 tons. The design of the curtain has the volcanos Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl in the center. Around them is a Mexican landscape surrounded by images of sculptures from Yautepec and Oaxaca . This design

1780-555: The Palacio de Bellas Artes , but since I did not lend it to him, he stopped talking to me for more than a year. One day there was a bricklayer fixing my house, and I sent him to paint [my nude portrait] with white to cover a bit of everything and that's how it ended up. I sold it, very badly sold by the way." Other renowned artists who recorded Félix in their canvases were the Surrealists Leonor Fini , Leonora Carrington , Remedios Varo and Bridget Tichenor among others. In

1869-528: The Palacio de Bellas Artes , opera performances took place at the Teatro Principal and the Teatro Arbeu. Of all these theatres the plans have been restored, and they could be rebuilt. [REDACTED] Media related to Gran Teatro Nacional at Wikimedia Commons Mar%C3%ADa F%C3%A9lix María de los Ángeles Félix Güereña ( Spanish: [maˈɾi.a ˈfeliɣs] ; 8 April 1914 – 8 April 2002)

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1958-518: The Second Mexican Empire , by command of emperor Maximilian I of Mexico , the theatre changed its name to Great Imperial Theatre. During this period it was directed by Spanish playwright José Zorrilla . In this period a scandal occurred relating to the opera Ildegonda by Melesio Morales , which premiered on 27 January 1866. When the opera was ready, a group of notables, including Don José Urbano Fonseca and Don José Ignacio Durán, went to see

2047-515: The Trío Calaveras , but no concrete evidence has emerged that the marriage ever took place. Most of the rumors agree in claiming that Prado and Félix allegedly got married in 1943 after meeting on the set of The Rock of Souls and separated two months after the wedding. Mexican writer Enrique Serna interviewed the last survivor of the trio, Miguel Bermego, who told him he was a witness to the wedding. Prado's niece María Escalera also corroborated

2136-688: The "Cathedral of Art in Mexico ". It was declared an artistic monument in 1987 by UNESCO . The building is administered by the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes of the federal government. The palace receive on average 10,000 visitors each week. Two of the best-known groups which regularly perform here are the Ballet Folklórico de México Compania Nacional de Opera de Bellas Artes and the National Symphonic Orchestra. The first performs in

2225-648: The "White and Black Ballroom" of the Mexico City Country Club where some of the great Mexican movie stars of the era ( Esther Fernández , Lupe Vélez , Andrea Palma ) gathered. Eventually she was taken to Hollywood , to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, where she met Cecil B. DeMille , who offered to launch her film career in Hollywood, but Félix was not interested. She preferred to begin her career in her own country. Finally, thanks to Palacios, she

2314-461: The 1980s, the Russian-French artist Antoine Tzapoff (Félix's last partner) captured her in numerous portraits. Félix also had dealings with numerous Mexican and foreign writers and playwrights some of whom have dedicated several novels. Among them they are Renato Leduc , Xavier Villaurrutia , Salvador Novo , Pita Amor , Jean Cocteau and Octavio Paz . Luis Spota was inspired by her life for his novel The Empty Star , and Félix even starred in

2403-479: The 41.37 carat (8.274 g), D-flawless Ashoka diamond. In 1968, she commissioned a serpent diamond necklace from Cartier . The result was a completely articulated serpent made out of platinum and white gold and encrusted with 178.21 carats (35.642 g) of diamonds. In 1975, she again asked Cartier to create a necklace for her, this time in the shape of two crocodiles. The two crocodile bodies were made of 524.9 grams of gold, one covered with 1,023 yellow diamonds, while

2492-664: The Alameda. It was constructed to house pictorial exhibitions for the 1910 celebrations, but it was demolished in 1973. The interior is also surfaced in Carrara marble . It divides into three sections: the main hall with adjoining smaller exhibition halls, the theatre and the offices of the Insituto Nacional de Bellas Artes. The main hall is covered by the Marotti glass and iron roof. It and the balconies of all three upper floors can be seen from

2581-609: The European cinema in Spain, with the film Mare Nostrum (1948), directed by Rafael Gil . With Gil as director, she made another two films in 1950: Una mujer cualquiera and La noche del sábado . In 1951, she filmed the French-Spanish production La Couronne Noire directed by Luis Saslavsky based on a story by Jean Cocteau . She debuted in Italy with the film Incantesimo Tragico (1951). In

2670-526: The National and International halls are for exhibitions. The second floor has smaller exhibition halls as well as murals by José Clemente Orozco , David Alfaro Siqueiros, Diego Rivera, Jorge González Camarena , Roberto Montenegro and Manuel Rodríguez Lozano . The third floor is occupied by the Museum of Architecture. The ironwork was designed in Italy by Alessandro Mazzucotelli and in Mexico by Luis Romero Soto. At

2759-458: The Palace of Fine Arts ) is the organization that takes care of the permanent murals and other artwork in the building as well as arrange temporary exhibits. These exhibits cover a wide range of media and feature Mexican and international artists, focusing on classic and contemporary artists. The Museo Nacional de Arquitectura ( Museum of Architecture ) occupies the top floor of the building, covered by

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2848-701: The Spanish-Mexican co-production Sonatas directed by Juan Antonio Bardem and the French-Mexican co-production La Fièvre Monte à El Pao , directed by Luis Buñuel . In the 1960s Félix's presence in the cinema was limited to only a few films. The most prominent were Juana Gallo (1960), La bandida (1963), Amor y sexo ( Sapho '63 , 1963)), and La Valentina (1966). In 1970 she filmed La Generala , which would be her last film. The Mexican historical telenovela La Constitución (1971) would be her last professional acting job. Félix attempted to return to

2937-496: The Sun , but she passed and the part went to Jennifer Jones . Another proposal was The Barefoot Contessa with Humphrey Bogart , but she refused it, instead making La Belle Otero in France. Ava Gardner ended up with the part. Later, the director Robert Aldrich sent her the script of The Legend of Lylah Clare , but she did not reach an agreement with the director and Kim Novak got

3026-713: The Venezuelan writer Rómulo Gallegos . For the film, another actress ( Isabela Corona ) was already hired, but when Gallegos first saw Félix, he was charmed by her and said: "Here is my Doña Bárbara!" This movie was filmed in Venezuela with Mexican and Venezuelan actors. Doña Bárbara was to be the start of her major collaborations with the Mexican film director Fernando de Fuentes . Félix and de Fuentes filmed together another two films: La Mujer sin Alma (1944) and La Devoradora (1946). As María Félix herself said, "With these films, I became

3115-519: The actor Tito Novaro. The couple began a highly publicized relationship, which culminated in marriage in 1945. Lara immortalized Félix in a number of songs, such as "Humo en los ojos " ("Smoke in the eyes"), " Cuando vuelvas " ("When you come back"), " Dos puñales " ("Two daggers"), " Madrid " and especially the famous theme " María Bonita ", composed in Acapulco during their honeymoon. " María Bonita " would become one of Lara's most popular songs. However,

3204-455: The actor and singer Pedro Infante . However, the film was not liked by the actress, despite her international success. Eventually she filmed Beyond All Limits (1957) with Jack Palance , and the melodramas Ash Wednesday and The Empty Star (both 1958). In 1959 she played the title role in The Soldiers of Pancho Villa with top billing lead Dolores del Río . In 1959 she performed in

3293-417: The anthem composed exclusively for her as a wedding gift by her second husband, Agustín Lara . Her acting career consists of 47 films made in Mexico, Spain, France, Italy and Argentina. María de los Ángeles Félix Güereña was born in Álamos , Sonora , Mexico, on 8 April 1914. Her birth was registered on May 4, which was later misreported as her date of birth. She was the daughter of Bernardo Félix Flores,

3382-572: The arts and was initially housed at the Museo Nacional de Artes Plásticas, the Museo del Libro and other places. It is now at the Palacio. In this theatre, Maria Callas debuted in the opera Norma in 1950. In 2002, the palace was the scene of the funeral of María Félix . Since its initial construction, very little has been updated or modified. However, intensive renovation efforts were begun in 2009 for

3471-423: The building of the Palacio de Bellas Artes . The Great National Theatre was inaugurated in one of Antonio López de Santa Anna 's terms as president. Its name changed successively, from Great Theatre of Santa Anna to Great Theatre Vergara, then Great Imperial Theatre, and finally Great National Theatre. During the opera season of 1852, the theatre premiered 17 operas and offered more than 60 performances. During

3560-457: The building, designed by Boari, there are four Pegasus sculptures which were made by Spanish Agustí Querol Subirats . These had been in the Zocalo before being brought here. The roof covering the center of the building is made of crystal designed by Hungarian Géza Maróti and depicts the muses with Apollo . One aspect of the Palace which has since disappeared is the "Pergola", which was located in

3649-416: The cinema twice. First, in 1982, with the film Toña Machetes , and again in 1986 with the film Insólito resplandor . Neither project crystallized, and Félix never reappeared in film. Almost from the beginning of her career, Félix received job offers in Hollywood, but Félix herself said: They only give me huehuenche (Indian) roles . While she was in France, Hollywood offered her the female role of Duel in

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3738-528: The early canal period and development here grew quickly. In spite of this, the convent remained until it was forcibly closed in the 1860s by the Reform Laws . It was replaced by a textile mill and lower-class housing. A section of this housing, on Santa Isabel Alley, was torn down and replaced by the National Theater in the latter 19th century. During the late 19th century and very early 20th, this theatre

3827-564: The entrance of the theatre, there are mascarons in bronze with depictions of Tlaloc , and Chaac, the Aztec and Maya deities of water, which along with the rest were designed by Gianette Fiorenzo. On the arch over the stage there are representations of various mythological personas such as the Muses with Apollo. This was constructed in Hungary in the workshops of Géza Maróti . However, the most impacting aspect

3916-412: The famous names of Mexican muralism . On the 2nd floor are two early-1950s works by Rufino Tamayo: México de Hoy (Mexico Today) and Nacimiento de la Nacionalidad (Birth of Nationality), a symbolic depiction of the creation of the mestizo (person of mixed indigenous and Spanish ancestry) identity. At the west end of the 3rd floor is Diego Rivera's El hombre controlador del universo (Man, controller of

4005-447: The film Camelia filmed in her native country. Her stay in Mexico was mainly based on her marriage to the actor and singer Jorge Negrete, her former film rival, with whom she filmed El rapto , directed by Emilio Fernández, Negrete's last film. After Negrete's death on 5 December 1953, Félix returned to Europe. In France she made the films La Belle Otero (1954), and Les Héros sont Fatigués (1955), alongside Yves Montand . However,

4094-404: The film La china poblana (1943), where Félix claimed to have paid a debt of gratitude to her discoverer Fernando Palacios, who directed the film. Nobody has heard from this movie (the second color film of the Mexican cinema), so it is considered lost. She called both films "her beginner sins". Félix was known as La Doña for her role in the movie Doña Bárbara (1943), based on the novel by

4183-418: The film and announce their future marriage. However, once in Mexico, Félix canceled the wedding days before it would take place, stating that she concluded that the only thing that united her to Thompson was a mere physical attraction and not true love. During her stay in France, Félix was introduced by the painter Leonor Fini to French writer Jean Cau , assistant of the writer Jean Paul Sartre . Félix had

4272-511: The film version in 1958. Carlos Fuentes did the same in the novel Zona sagrada . Her relationship with Fuentes was terminated when the author made the play Orchids in the Moonlight , in which he parodies the figures of Félix and Dolores del Río. Félix, angry, called him " mujerujo " ("womanish"). Songs were composed for Félix, including María de Todas las Marías by Juan Gabriel and Je l'aime à mourir by Francis Cabrel . In fashion, Félix

4361-630: The films with Fernández, María Félix also worked with Roberto Gavaldón , another director who showcased some of her best performances. Their first collaboration was in La diosa arrodillada (1947) with Arturo de Córdova . Thanks to these films, María Félix's fame crossed the Atlantic. In 1948 she was contracted by the Spanish film producer Cesáreo González. In this manner María Félix began her film adventure in Europe. She made only one more film in Mexico ( Doña Diabla , 1949) until her return in 1952. Félix debuted in

4450-451: The glass and iron roof. It contains exhibitions from renowned Mexican architects including models, designs and photographs of major works. The museum also arranges temporary exhibitions of its collections in other facilities to expose the Mexican public to the country's rich architectural heritage. Some of the major architects featured at the museum include Jaime Ortiz Monasterio, Carlos Mijares Bracho, Adamo Boari and Luis Barragán . The museum

4539-449: The grandmother and took the child. One afternoon after work when walking down the street in Mexico City, director and filmmaker Fernando Palacios approached her asking if she wanted to make movies. Her response was: "When I want to, it will be through the big door." Palacios finally persuaded her to break into the movies. Becoming her " Pygmalion ", he began to train her and present her in film circles. She made her first appearance in

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4628-553: The ground floor below. In areas of the main hall, pre-Hispanic motifs done in Art Deco style, such as serpents’ heads on window arches and Maya Chaac masks on the vertical light panels distinguish this interior from its contemporaries. The smaller exhibition halls are located on the first and second floors. The first floor is decorated with crystal lamps, created by Edgar Brandt and hold murals by Rufino Tamayo . The Adamo Boari and Manuel M. Ponce halls hold music and literature events. And

4717-596: The impresario of the Great Imperial Theatre, Don Annibale Biacchi, so that Morales's opera could premiere there. Biacchi answered that he would not stage a work by a Mexican, which would damage his business. After the death of the emperor Maximilian I of Mexico and the restoration of the Republic, the theatre was renamed Great National Theatre. Around this time was the worldwide première of Cleopatra by Melesio Morales , writes Mañón: The Great National Theatre

4806-466: The interior but updated it from Boari's plans to the more modern Art Deco style. The building was completely finished in 1934, and was inaugurated on 29 November of that year. The inaugural work presented in the theatre was "La Verdad Sospechosa" by Juan Ruiz de Alarcón in 1934. In 1946, the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Institute of the Fine Arts) was created as a government agency to promote

4895-539: The latter which only cited "a biography" as a source. It was cited by TVyNovelas as one of the "myths" surrounding Félix. It is known that Félix vehemently denied ever having married Prado. Serna, who also interviewed Félix, said "On our first meeting I asked her about her marriage to Raúl Prado (which she denied until the end), the member of the Calaveras trio who sang in Jorge Negrete's films, and she told me that if I

4984-445: The lead role. For this reason the filming of the movie was difficult and led to a direct confrontation between Félix and Negrete. That confrontation helped to cement the reputation of Félix as a tough and arrogant woman. In her second film, María Eugenia , Félix would be projected in a role out of her temperamental film personality. However, the film is remembered as the only movie where Félix appeared in swimwear. The same happened with

5073-412: The marriage, saying that the marriage ended when Agustín Lara sent Félix a white piano as a gift, and "Raúl threw her out — with the piano. They later divorced. So, it appears, María Félix was my tía política [aunt-in-law]." In his book about Félix María Félix: 47 pasos por el cine , Paco Ignacio Taibo I wrote about the marriage as factual, saying "While filming this movie, María would meet Raúl Prado,

5162-705: The most important film of Félix in this period was French Cancan (1954) directed by Jean Renoir with the legendary French actor Jean Gabin . Her last film shot entirely in Europe was the Spanish film Faustina . Félix returned to Mexico in 1955. This period of her career was characterized by performing in period pieces inspired by the Mexican Revolution . This cycle begins with La Escondida (1955). In this film, as well as in stories like Canasta de cuentos mexicanos (1955) and Café Colón (1958), she worked again with Pedro Armendáriz. In 1956 she starred in Tizoc with

5251-459: The number of people the hall can accommodate but should make the area more comfortable. The palace has a mixture of a number of architectural styles; however, it is principally Art Nouveau and Art Deco . Art Nouveau dominates the exterior, which was done by Adamo Boari, and the inside is dominated by Art Deco, which was completed by Federico Mariscal. Since construction began in 1904, the theater (which opened in 1934) has sunk some four meters into

5340-482: The number one enemy of the Mexican family morals." Somehow, I seduced the public, even those who criticize the conduct of my characters in the films. My legend began to take shape without moving a finger. The public imagination did everything for me. Without her stereotyped role of a "femme fatale", María Félix filmed two sophisticated films: El monje blanco (1945), directed by Julio Bracho , and Vertigo (1946), directed by Antonio Momplet. Both characters required

5429-412: The other Frede's. Frede followed Félix on her filming trips to Buenos Aires and São Paulo upon learning of Félix's relationship with Carlos Thompson. Félix and Frede's relationship was interrupted by Félix's marriage to Jorge Negrete, but upon Negrete's death in 1953, Félix returned to Paris to briefly rekindle her relationship with Frede. However, they would violently break-up for good in 1954, leading to

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5518-437: The other was adorned with 1,060 circular cut emeralds. Later she sold most of her jewelry back to Cartier. She also left a Rolls-Royce in Paris. Since Félix's death, these jewelry pieces have been displayed as part of The Art of Cartier Collection in several museums around the world. To pay tribute to the actress, in 2006 Cartier debuted its La Doña de Cartier collection . The La Doña de Cartier watch with reptilian links

5607-457: The painting to be displayed as part of a retrospective on Rivera's work, but Félix refused. Félix did not like the painting and she sold it to Juan Gabriel for 15 million pesos . Félix would say, “I've never liked Rivera's painting, I told him. I wanted him to paint me as a Tehuana, but he said it was very vulgar, so he painted me as he wanted ... naked, because he was very much in love with me. Later, Diego wanted that portrait for an exhibition in

5696-425: The political problem both before and during the Mexican Revolution , hindered then stopped construction completely by 1913. Construction resumed in 1932 under Mexican architect Federico Mariscal  [ es ] and was completed in 1934. It was then inaugurated on November 29, 1934. The exterior of the building is primarily Art Nouveau and Neoclassical and the interior is primarily Art Deco . The building

5785-503: The relationship ended in 1947 due to Lara's jealousy. Félix said that Lara even tried to kill her in a fit of violent jealousy. After her second divorce, Félix had romances with some well-known men, such as Mexican aviation entrepreneur Jorge Pasquel, Spanish bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguín , and Argentine actor Carlos Thompson . Félix met Thompson in Argentina in 1952 during the filming of Luis César Amadori 's La pasión desnuda , and

5874-489: The relationship was reportedly serious to the point that they became engaged to be married, and Félix even called for her son Enrique Álvarez Félix to meet his potential stepfather. However, during filming, Félix received a call from director Emilio Fernández to offer her the leading role in The Rapture , which Félix accepted, telling Thompson that after filming of La pasión desnuda ended she would return to Mexico to promote

5963-420: The role. Félix was married four times. Her first marriage (1931–1938) was with the cosmetics sales agent Enrique Álvarez Alatorre. He fathered her only child, actor Enrique Álvarez Félix (1934–1996). According to journalist Sergio Almázon, once she found her son wearing a white dress and necklace. Infuriated, she beat him unconscious. Álvarez retaliated by taking their son to Guadalajara. Years later Félix

6052-478: The same year, she filmed Messalina (1951), directed by Carmine Gallone . During the filming of this movie Félix suffered an emotional shock: her father died of a heart attack in Navojoa . In 1952, Félix traveled to Argentina, where she filmed La pasión desnuda of the Argentine filmmaker Luis César Amadori . In the same year Félix returned to Mexico. She concluded her working relationship with Cesáreo González with

6141-403: The soft soil of Mexico City. The main facade, which faces Avenida Juárez, is made of white Italian Carrara marble . In the interior of the portal are sculptures by Italian Leonardo Bistolfi . It consists of "Harmony", surrounded by "Pain", "Rage", "Happiness", "Peace" and "Love". Another portion of the facade contains cherubs and sculptures representing music and inspiration. On the plaza front of

6230-703: The theatre twice a week and is a spectacle of pre and post Hispanic dance of Mexico. A typical program includes Aztec ritual dances, agricultural dances from Jalisco , a fiesta in Veracruz , a wedding celebration — all accompanies by mariachis , marimba players and singers. Regular annual events include the Premio Quorum for Mexican designers in graphic and industrial materials and the Premios Ariel for Mexican films. Numerous individual events have been held here. These include several exhibitions of Frida Kahlo 's work, and

6319-463: The universe- known as Man at the Crossroads ), originally commissioned for New York's Rockefeller Center in 1933. The mural depicts a variety of technological and societal themes (such as the discoveries made possible by microscopes and telescopes) and was controversial for its inclusion of Lenin and a Soviet May Day parade. The Rockefellers were not happy with the painting and the incomplete work

6408-493: The upcoming 2010 celebrations. Much of the equipment and machinery is original from the early 20th century. Much of the technological equipment is being updated, especially in the theatre which needs computerized lights, sound systems and other improvements. Other work will improve the acoustics. Upgrades to the theatre will allow for multimedia shows which were not available before. The main hall has had no renovation or upgrade work since it opened in 1934. Renovations here will lessen

6497-640: Was a Mexican actress and singer. Along with Pedro Armendáriz and Dolores del Río , she was one of the most successful figures of Latin American cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. Considered one of the most beautiful actresses of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema , her strong personality and taste for finesse garnered her the title of diva early in her career. She was known as La Doña , a name derived from her character in Doña Bárbara (1943), and María Bonita , thanks to

6586-499: Was a model for many renowned painters. In her adolescence she was painted in Guadalajara by José Clemente Orozco , but Félix said, "He painted me like a skull with make-up." Félix met the artist Diego Rivera during the filming of Río Escondido (1947). Félix developed a friendship with him and his wife, Frida Kahlo . In 1949, Rivera painted a portrait of her, which Félix classified as "very bad". In later years, Rivera asked to borrow

6675-452: Was able to get her son back with the help of her second husband, Agustín Lara. Félix's relationship with her son was distant in his early years because she sent him to schools abroad "to discipline" him. Years later, Enrique returned to Mexico and started a career as an actor in film and television. Regarding her son, Félix said: "Enrique is a very gifted man, with admirable common sense. He's my best friend. I have so much fun with him. He's not

6764-457: Was an exhibit from the collection of Patricia Phelps de Cisneros comprising 148 works by 72 artists from across Latin America in 2006. Occasionally, the plaza in front of the Palace is the scene of protests such as those against the Iraq War in 2003 and against bullfighting in 2010. The floors between the ground floor and the uppermost floor are dominated by a number of murals painted by most of

6853-438: Was at this time that she met Enrique Álvarez Alatorre, a salesman for the cosmetics firm Max Factor . After a brief romance, the couple married in 1931. In 1935, Félix gave birth to her only child, Enrique, nicknamed Quique . Her marriage with Álvarez was unsuccessful and the couple divorced in 1937. After her divorce, Félix returned to Guadalajara with her family, where she was the subject of gossip and rumors due to her status as

6942-494: Was built between 1840 and 1844 by architect Lorenzo de la Hidalga in Mexico City . It was located at the end of Cinco de Mayo Ave., on Vergara Street (now Bolívar). It had a capacity of more than 3,500 people; that is to say, 1,500 more seats than the present-day Palacio de Bellas Artes . Historians consider it the most important architectural work in Mexico City between the completion of the Metropolitan Cathedral and

7031-690: Was buried in her family's mausoleum alongside her son Enrique and parents at the Panteón Francés located in Mexico City. In 2018, Google celebrated Felix's 104th birthday with a Google Doodle . A skeletal version of Felix appears briefly in the 2017 Pixar film Coco , as a guest at a party in the Land of the Dead, with luchador El Santo as her date. On 21 July 2022, the TelevisaUnivision produced biopic María Félix: La Doña , starring Sandra Echeverría ,

7120-458: Was created to impress by its wild look. The case of the La Doña de Cartier features a trapezoid shape with an asymmetrical profile reminiscent of a crocodile's head. The wristband of the watch resembles the contours of a crocodile in large, bold and gold scales. The La Doña de Cartier Collection also includes jewelry, accessories, and handbags. Mexican milliner to the stars Gladys Tamez dedicated

7209-471: Was demolished between 1900 and 1901 to extend the Avenida Cinco de Mayo  [ es ] . The demolition was justified with the promise that the theatre would be replaced by the Palacio de Bellas Artes , whose construction began in 1904, but was interrupted by the Mexican Revolution , and finally opened in 1934. In the more than 30 years between the demolition of the old theatre and the inauguration of

7298-407: Was dressed by designers like Christian Dior , Givenchy , Yves Saint Laurent , Chanel , and Balenciaga . The House of Hermès (Couture Department) designed extravagant creations just for her. She was a noted collector of fine antiques, favoring pieces like her famous collection of Second French Empire furniture. She was also a jewelry connoisseur and had an extensive jewelry collection, including

7387-458: Was eventually destroyed and painted over. Rivera recreated it here in 1934. On the north side of the third floor are David Alfaro Siqueiros' three-part La Nueva Democracia (New Democracy) and Rivera's four-part Carnaval de la Vida Mexicana (Carnival of Mexican Life); to the east is José Clemente Orozco's La Katharsis (Catharsis), depicting the conflict between humankind's 'social' and 'natural' aspects. The Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes ( Museum of

7476-401: Was going to go on with those lies, we were not going to be able to work on the book." Serna added, "At one point she told me: 'Write what you want about me, because they believe anything about me. Say that I slept with an octopus.'" Her second marriage (1945–1947) was to the composer Agustín Lara . Félix was a fan of Lara since her adolescence. They were formally introduced by a mutual friend,

7565-516: Was inspired by work done by artist Gerardo Murillo (Dr. Atl) . The theatre has a capacity of 1,590. The Palace has been the scene of some of the most notable events in music, dance, theatre, opera and literature and has hosted important exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography. It has hosted some of the biggest names from both Mexico and abroad. It has hosted poetry events as well as those related to popular culture. Artists and companies are from all parts of Mexico and abroad. It has been called

7654-476: Was married to Berger for 18 years. She tried becoming a mother again, but an accident during a filming in 1957 caused Félix to lose the child. It was at this time that she built her famous home, La Casa de las Tortugas (The House of Turtles), designed by Pepe Mendoza and resembling an Italian villa, in Cuernavaca . Berger died in 1974 of lung cancer months after the death of Félix's mother, which plunged her into

7743-400: Was offered the female lead role in a film by Grovas Productions: El Peñón de las Ánimas , directed by Miguel Zacarías . In the film El Peñón de las Ánimas , Félix starred opposite the popular Mexican actor and singer Jorge Negrete . María Félix and Jorge Negrete got off to a bad relationship during the filming because he had asked that his girlfriend, the actress Gloria Marín , be given

7832-551: Was reunited with an "old enemy": the actor and singer Jorge Negrete . Unlike their difficult first meeting ten years ago on the set of El peñón de las ánimas , Félix found Negrete, in her own words: "surrendered to my feet" . After a brief romance, the couple married in 1953, transmitted by radio to all Latin America, held at the House of Catipoato in Tlalpan . Negrete was already ill when the marriage took place, and died eleven months later at

7921-538: Was the site of most of Mexico City's high culture, presenting events such as theatre, operettas , Viennese dance and more. It was then decided to replace this building with a more opulent one for the upcoming Centennial of Mexican Independence celebrations in 1910. The old theatre was demolished in 1901, and the new theatre would be called the Gran Teatro de Ópera. The work was awarded to Italian architect Adamo Boari, who favored neoclassical and art nouveau styles and who

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